


Of Magic and Romanticism

by Lady_Mischievous



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Lothar gives bad advice and almost gets Medivh killed, Lovestruck mages can be dangerous, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-17 15:28:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13079844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Mischievous/pseuds/Lady_Mischievous
Summary: Drinking and taking advice from Lothar are not always the best of ideas--especially both at once.





	Of Magic and Romanticism

Lothar had to admit that Medivh’s apprentice wasn’t a bad kid. A bit naive with a tendency to be a little sassy, but his heart was in the right place at least. Better than a good chunk of those ‘spell chuckers’ from Dalaran. Khadgar was decent company when he and Medivh would visit Stormwind. He’d sometimes join Lothar for food and drink and would willingly listen to stories of battle and of his youth. (Something that many other younger folk would try to squirm out of.)

 

But Khadgar enjoyed listening to Lothar’s tales. The boy was like a sponge, he’d take in each story or bit of advice and let it soak it in. Mages were an odd bunch, they prided themselves on their logic yet many were still romantics. _Especially_ with the subject of love. It was spoken of like it were some kind of elusive creature or something that only existed in novels.

 

It was hard to remember just how the subject turned to romance. All Lothar knew was that he and Khadgar had perhaps a few too many drinks. The boy’s face was flush and his lips were a bit loose. It was when Khadgar talked of being in love but being unable to act on his feelings that Lothar made a horrible mistake.

 

“Boy, listen to me!” Lothar said while setting his stein on the table. “You spell chuckers need to stop dancing around this stuff! If it’s not _you_ , it’s _Med_ or some other mage lamenting! It’s not _that_ difficult!”

 

Khadgar stared at Lothar as though the man had grown another head. He then broke eye contact, his cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red. “B-but it’s _not_ that easy, there are some rules and...other issues.” He then began to count off reasons on each finger. “Some mages are set up in unions to produce even better mages. Magic and emotions don’t exactly mix well. Anger, loneliness, and love are considered particularly dangerous.”

 

“All those are excuses!” Lothar huffed. “Honestly! What’s the worst that could happen if you just come out and say how you feel? If they say ‘no’ then you suck it up and move on. It’s far better than sitting there and stewing in the could haves and would haves! That kind of thing drives a man mad!”

 

Khadgar sat silently for a moment, allowing time for Lothar’s words to sink in. He fidgeted a little with the cup in his hands and looked down into his drink. Khadgar was unable to look Lothar the eye, part of him _wanted_ to believe the older, more experienced man. “You really think so?”

 

“I know it!” Lothar said while pointing at the boy. “I’ve had plenty of regrets in my life. Quite a few from moments where I could have said something and chose not to.”

 

Khadgar was quiet for a long moment, contemplating Lothar’s advice. His finger tapped against the side of his cup before he gave a small nod. “You’re right...” Khadgar then took one more deep sip from his drink and set the stein down. “You’re _absolutely_ right, the worst is that they’ll just say ‘no’. I’m going to tell them!”

 

“That’s the spirit, lad!” Lothar smirked and raised his stein in a small toast.

 

“Right now.” Khadgar said while standing up from his seat. He stumbled a little as he made his way towards the door.

 

“Wait, what?” Lothar’s smile fell and shifted into a frown. He then looked at a nearby clock, his eyes widened a little at seeing the time. Lothar started to get up from his seat to go after the boy. “Khadgar, wait! It’s almost midnight!”

 

“I know!” Khadgar called out as he left. “It’s perfect because I know exactly where he is!”

 

-o-o-o-o-o-

 

Lothar had begun to suspect that he might have made a huge mistake. He followed the sound of banging to the guest chamber hall. Lothar swallowed as his suspicions grew when he heard Khadgar call out to a certain room’s occupant.

 

“Master Medivh? Are you awake?” Khadgar called out while he knocked on the magus’ door. “I need to speak with you!” He knocked again, louder and more insistent. “Please wake up!”

 

Lothar was about to round the corner to go over and grab the boy but came to a halt at the sound of the door opening.

 

The bedroom door jerked opened to reveal a disheveled, half asleep Medivh. His long, dark hair stuck up in awkward ways, he yawned and rubbed one of his eyes. Upon seeing Khadgar the magus squinted, as though he wasn’t sure the boy was really there. The scrutinizing look then shifted into concern. “Young Trust, has something happened? Are you alri-”

 

“I-I’m…! I’m in love!” Khadgar abruptly announced, cutting Medivh off in mid-sentence. His heart was pounding in his chest from both fear and feeling. Saying those three words caused excitement, anxiety, and love to churn about in his chest like a brewing storm. His heart felt like it would burst at any moment. He looked Medivh in the eye and declared it more clearly, more confidently. “I’m in love!”

 

It was certainly the most bizarre thing Lothar had seen all week. It was like watching a pigeon trying to court a hawk. It looked awfully silly and it didn’t take a genius to know that it would end poorly.

 

Right then the small sound of cracking glass drew Lothar’s attention towards a nearby window. The crack was barely noticeable at first but then the glassed creaked as it suddenly grew.

 

Medivh blinked, his head then canted to the side in a bird-like way. He then sniffed the air, catching the smell of a particular kind of alcohol, _Lothar’s_ favorite alcohol. Khadgar _reeked_ of it.

 

“Oh for Light’s sake...” Medivh muttered before he took a breath and released it as a sigh. He then plopped a hand on Khadgar’s head and teased the streak of white in his hair. “Come on, let’s get you to bed. I’ll have a word with Lothar in the morning.”

 

“W-wait, no, you don’t understand...” Khadgar fumbled with his words a little. As Medivh began to pull his hand away he grabbed onto it and held it in place. “With you!” Khadgar almost yelled, his heart skipped a beat. He then pushed himself to make his words clear. “I’m in love with _you_ , Master!”

 

The flames in lamps and torches suddenly flared up and burned more intensely. Even drunk that detail wasn’t lost on Lothar. He looked at the torches, back to the cracked window, and then at Khadgar.

 

“ _Magic and emotions don’t exactly mix well.”_ Khadgar’s words from earlier replayed in Lothar’s head. _“Anger, loneliness, and love are considered particularly dangerous.”_

 

Lothar felt his blood run cold. The boy was drunk, his hormones were driving his decisions more than his head, and he packed quite a bit of power. Realization hit Lothar like a runaway cart, he had pretty much placed a powder keg at Medivh’s feet and lit the fuse.

 

Medivh stared at Khadgar in silence, his tired mind played and replayed his apprentice’s words in his head. He could see Khadgar’s eyes desperately searching him for any sign of reaction, of _reciprocation_. Medivh was at a loss for what to say, it wasn’t like he _could_ return the poor boy’s affections. There were a number of reasons why he simply couldn’t. If anything, such a confession would be a reason to send the boy away.

 

No, that was _not_ an option. Medivh would _not_ do that to _his_ apprentice. The poor boy had been through enough of being tossed around, of being _unwanted_.

 

Khadgar’s eyes went wide as the full weight of his own words finally hit him. He wasn’t stupid, he knew what such a confession to his _teacher_ of all people would mean. Khadgar felt his heart grow heavy and sink like a stone. He stepped back from Medivh, shaking his head as panic started to take hold. “Oh no, w-what have I done…?!”

 

The temperature in the hallway suddenly began to drop. Lothar stepped out to go over and pull Khadgar away from his friend. Instead, he stopped dead in his tracks upon receiving a harsh glare from Medvih. A look that was born of irritation and what felt like protectiveness.

 

‘ _Don’t you_ _ **dare**_ _..._ ’ Lothar could swear he heard the words though Medivh did not speak.

 

Then the magus gently took Khadgar by the chin and guided him to look up. “Trust, look at me.”

 

Khadgar hesitated before looking up to meet Medivh’s gaze. He shivered a from both fear and the sudden coldness. “Master, please don’t send me away, I couldn’t bear it from _you_ of all people. I-I take back everything I sa-”

 

“That’s enough.” Medivh interjected, cutting Khadgar off. He ran his finger’s through the stark white stripe in the boy’s hair. He noted how Khadgar leaned into the touch, like an affection-starved cat. “Calm down, I’m not sending you anywhere, Khadgar.”

 

“B-but...I...I-I love you...” Khadgar hiccuped, his eyes bright with unshed tears. He had messed up, he had messed up everything. He was going to be sent away, back to Dalaran. Then would probably be sent away from them too. “H-how can I learn from you properly if...? I-I...Oh, I’m so sorry…! I take it back, I take it all bac-” Khadgar was silenced when Medivh gently pressed a finger to his lips.

 

“Shh, calm yourself, Trust.” Medivh said gently, just above a whisper. “By morning it will be like this conversation never happened.” he tried to reassure him. Medivh then reached up and gently brushed a tear from Khadgar’s cheek. “If it’s any consolation, had our situations been different...” Medivh began. “...Had you been older or I younger, I would have gladly taken you into my arms.”

 

Khadgar looked up at Medivh in surprise, his face flushed a brilliant shade of red. The magus smiled before he leaned in and planted a kiss onto his apprentice’s forehead. Khadgar’s heart skipped a beat but then he felt a little strange; like his head was slowly being filled with cotton. The temperature in the hall and the flames of nearby lamps and torches slowly returned to normal.

 

“Come, let’s get you to bed.” Medivh said with gentle affection as he guided Khadgar back to his own room.

 

-o-o-o-o-o-

 

“I swear to the Light above, Lothar...” Medivh began with an angry huff. The two of them sat together in Medivh’s room. The magus smoked a blend of herbs from a pipe to calm his nerves. “...should you _ever_ get Khadgar that drunk again and give such _stupid_ advice...” The magus paused to puff on his pipe, clearly more shaken by the incident than he seemed while it was happening. “...I’ll freeze you solid and toss you from the top of this keep.”

 

“I said I was sorry!” Lothar retorted. When he received an angry glare from his friend he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “How was I to know that a lovestruck mage is like a bomb?”

 

“That’s an unfair assumption. Not all mages are like that but there are _enough_ where it’s led to precautions and rules.” Medivh explained. “More so, it’s that the likes of ‘love’ can lead one to do very brash and sometimes _horrible_ things.” Medivh gave a tired sigh. The herbal blend in his pipe was certainly was doing its job. He puffed on his pipe, frowning when he couldn’t get the image of Khadgar out of his mind. “Mages are still people at the end of the day, people with a lot of power at their fingertips. That’s why the likes of Dalaran tend to discourage getting too wrapped up in such emotions and relationships. That’s why many mages leave romance to the pages of novels and get their fill of love by living through characters and stories.”

 

“That would explain _your_ extensive collection of smut.” Lothar sighed. Medivh offered him his pipe and he gladly took it, his own nerves were shot after the ordeal. “I feel sorry that you had to lower yourself to placate the boy like that.”

 

“Placate...?” Medivh looked at Lothar a little confused.

 

“Oh don’t you pretend it didn’t happen!” Lothar scoffed. “What you were saying before you _kissed_ him on the head and sent him to bed!”

 

“Oh, that...” Medivh folded his arms and sat back in his chair.

 

“Yes, _that_.” Lothar was growing annoyed with his friend’s nonchalance on the matter.

 

Medivh let out a hearty laugh. “I wasn’t placating anyone, I meant what I said.”

 

“What?” Lothar blinked, his head canted slightly at such an answer. “You can’t be serious...”

 

Medivh laughed again at Lothar’s reaction, the look on the man’s face was priceless. “I am though. That was the most awkward, artless confession I had ever seen in my entire life. I’m quite flattered Young Trust feels so strongly for me.”

 

“So you just enjoy having a young thing like him pining for you.” Lothar scoffed. He handed Medivh’s pipe back to the mage. “How cheap! How cruel, Med! You’re toying with that boy’s feelings! He’ll think he still has a chance to win your affections! After such a close call, you decide to play with fire?”

 

“I’ll admit, it’s good to know that I still have the ability to make one’s heart go aflutter.” Medivh said with a small smirk. It soon faded when he saw another image of Khadgar’s confession play in his mind. “But I meant what I said, by tomorrow it’ll be as though the conversation never happened. That ‘kiss’ was a spell to seal away memories. They’ll eventually resurface, likely when he’s much older. But for now, in his mind, his feelings are still secret.”

 

“Hmph, I should have known, you always have a trick up your sleeve.” Lothar scoffed, he gave Medivh an annoyed look and pressed further. “But why not _erase_ those feelings? Or seal them if you can do so to memories?”

 

“That would damage him _horribly_.” Medivh countered, frowning at such an idea as though it were completely absurd. “There’s a reason why mages don’t try to dull or suppress feelings through magic. The results are always something terrible.” Medivh puffed his pipe, trying to focus on the flavor and feeling more than the images in his head. “Khadgar will learn how to keep his power in check but that takes time and experience.”

 

“And in the meantime, you get to revel in the fact that the boy is infatuated with you.” Lothar sighed.

 

“At the end of the day, I’m human too, Lothar. I’ve had my fair share of bedmates in the past and once a casual lover.” Medivh admitted. “But nothing quite as earnest as that confession, despite its clumsiness.” Medivh smiled fondly as some of the more tender moments between him and his apprentice played themselves out in his mind. “It feels good knowing that I’m loved. A delicious little secret that I’ll keep all to myself. It gives me another reason to keep going.”

 

“Like your duties as the guardian aren’t enough, Med?” Lothar asked.

 

Medivh didn’t grant such a question an answer and instead he let his mind wander off. “Who knows, maybe in the next life things will be different.”

 

“Hmph, more nonsense...” Lothar scoffed. “You get only _one_ life Med, then it’s either Heaven or Hell for you. Even _if_ you could have another, there’s slim chance two souls would meet all over again in the world full of others.”

 

“Perhaps...” Medivh said with a small sigh. “But the idea is beautiful and like many mages, I too am a romantic.”

 

-The End-


End file.
